Adam Lee of Siduri Wines is a master of the finicky pinot noir grape. Even though Lee uses grapes from vineyards as far south as Santa Barbara and as far north as the Willamette Valley of Oregon, the consistency of his wines never ceases to amaze me. On his most recent visit to St. Louis, Lee brought 25 pinot noirs from the 2012 vintage. The Siduri 2012 Sonoma County Pinot Noir stood out, even among wines more than twice its $25 price tag. Although it’s a blend of pinot noir from multiple vineyards, the fruit comes mostly from Van der Kamp Vineyard from Sonoma Mountain. If labeled with the acclaimed Van der Kamp Vineyard name, that bottle would be twice as expensive.
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2014.
